After it all
by draconiat
Summary: The story begins a month after the season 8 ended. Really just what I envision will happen later. And a lot of Destiel!
1. A month later

The famous roar of Impala was heard as it entered the parking lot of a small hotel called Days Inn, Lexington, Nebraska. Dean was driving of course, and found a nice parking spot right next to a Coca Cola machine.

„Why did we have to leave the Batcave? I was just getting used to my room!" – complained Dean as he put his head on the wheel.

„There was a ghost sighting and we agreed we are going to continue hunting. Your choice. And since our fellow angel wants to learn to become a hunter, he should start with basics." – said Sam in his usual know-it-all tone

„Yeah, about that, Cas, you okay back there?"

Dean turned around to see Castiel sleeping peacefully. A month has passed since his falling, and somehow he was still getting used to being a human. He sometimes forgets to sleep so he just passes out while sitting, and sometimes he passes out for not eating for too long. His first week was basically a series of passing out. A lot of fallen angels now were angry at him, so he decided it would be best if he traveled with the brothers.

Dean was having a hard time because he had to leave the Batcave. And again, he was taking care of people. Teaching Cas the human life, trying to keep Sam sane. In the end he has come to a realization it would be the best to go down the road again, hunting things they've hunted 8 years ago. So funny when he thought about it. Back in the day, they would struggle with killing a Wendigo or those long incantations to send a demon back to hell. Now, those days seem like heaven to him.

Sam, well, he was a special kind of crazy now. Sometimes he caught himself wishing he was hallucinating again. Hell seemed like a pleasant place to be now. The trials were taking their toll. He was supposed to die if he finished them and he didn't finish. He didn't die. But still it felt a lot like dying. He felt as if he was going through the trials all over again. So he focused on helping Cas and trying to hunt something easy to kill, and distraction seemed like a great medicine. He's okay, physically, but mentally, he has his crashes. Hopefully there will be a longer pause between them now. The last one was nearly a week ago. He was looking at his arms and was convinced they were bleeding. And as he bled out, he felt the life force that pumped through his weary heart to the body leaving him, and he felt weaker and weaker until finally he passed out. He woke up two days later in his bed, thirsty and very hungry. He's okay now. He hopes he will stay that way, for at least until they solve this case.

„Sleeping like an angel." – said Sam – „ Well, wake him up, I'm going get some food. I saw a supermarket 10 minutes away. You check us in."

„Dude, are you sure you can..."

„Dean, I'm fine. I've been fine for a week now. And I think I can survive grocery shopping. I'll go by foot, breathe in some fresh air and I'll be great."

„I know but maybe I should go and you should rest..."

„No, Dean, you take care of Rapunzel over here, I'm gone."

„Sam, wait, maybe you should take the car."

Sam waved his hand as he walked away from the Impala. Dean turned around and Cas didn't seem to flinch, nor register a single word said by the brothers.

„Dammit man, you're drooling on her! Cas, hey, man, Cas!"

„Huh what?" – Cas asked, eyes still half open. He hasn't slept peacefully in days, somehow he found his peace while riding in the Impala. Dean's voice was usually what lulled him to sleep. His singing, to be more precise.

Dean smiled, and got out of the car. He opened the back door and pulled Castiel out.

„Come on sleepy head, let's get you in to bed."


	2. Things revealed

Castiel still felt a little groggy from the short sleep he had. Dean felt a little worried about Sam. He wasn't sleepy, despite the fact he was driving. Tired, yes, but not quite sleepy. It was only 9 pm.

They walked up to the lady working at the reception. She was really hot, Dean thought to himself. She was blonde and had green eyes, quite slender and fit, and even sitting, you could notice she was quite tall.

„Excuse me."

„Oh, good evening. Well, aren't you precious, you two. Double bed?"

„Huh, what?" – Dean answered, genuinly suprised – „No, we're not, he's not, I'm not..."

It was hard not to notice. Castiel was leaning on Dean like his life depended on it.

„Come on man, wake up already. Yeah.."- he smiled – „No, just get me a room with three beds."

„Not obvious at all. Sure thing. Want to make one double?"

„Yes, Dean, you love double beds. Back in our home in Kansas, you were so pleased with the room you've got, especially because of the double bed."

„Our..what? Just, here." – Dean paid, took the key and left, Castiel running behind him

„I know you're used to this abnormal speed of walking, but I think I will have to yet get adjusted to it, now could you please go slower Dean?"

„Come on, man." – Dean turned around – „You don't act like that in public, got it! You don't touch me in public, you don't hug me in public, you don't do anything to me in public!"

Castiel gave him his puppy eyes, he felt he disappointed Dean yet again, and he had no idea how. Or why. – „Ok, Dean, I'll have that in mind for further notice."

Dean rolled his eyes – „Whatever. And you need to shave. Immediately. You look like a mountain man. We have an interview as FBI tomorrow. Enough of your beard growing."

He didn't shave at all for the past month at all. To tell the truth , he didn't know how to shave. He was getting pretty clumsy as human. The first time he took a knife in his hands, he cut himself, and it hurt him. He decided it would be the best to stay away from sharp objects for a while.

Dean opened the door and threw the bag he was holding on the floor. The room was pretty much the usual room he and Sam had. A small bathroom , windows, a table and four chairs. Well, this time there were two beds. One was double and one single.

„Oh come on!"

„What, I thought you like double beds."

„Yes, but as you can see, three of us, two beds. You know what, this is your fault , you're going to sleep on the floor."

„Wait how is this..."

Cas didn't get to finish before Dean slammed the bathroom door as he walked in.

Cas sat on the edge of the double bed. He pondered about things. He began to care a lot more recently. A part of being human of course. He remembered Naomi, heaven. Metatron. How he was tricked by him. The only thing he was happy about is that he didn't kill Dean. He was supposed to. Naomi was training him all that time. He killed fake Dean at least hundred of times. And yet when the time came, he couldn't bring himself to kill Dean. There was something in him telling him otherwise. Telling him that he mustn't kill Dean, at all costs. To think that for a moment he was capable of killing Dean, his best friend, and now, maybe something more now. His thoughts were broken by the sound of the bathroom door opening. Dean came out, dressed in short PJ pants and undershirt.

„Well, the bathroom's available. You go shave now, I can't look at you anymore."

„Oh." – Cas stood up – „Well, there might be a problem in that."

„What now?" – asked Dean, slightly irritated

„I don't know."

„You don't know what?"

„How to shave."

„Seriously man. You take the shaving cream, put it on yourself, take the razor and shave. Not so hard."

„Well, the last time I took something sharp in my hands, I cut myself."

„Fine you wuss, I'll teach you how to shave. Take off that trenchcoat, put a shirt on and come to the bathroom" – said Dean, threw the clothes he was holding to the floor and sat on the single bed

Castiel took off his coat and shirt, undressing like he was all alone. His vessel had a great body indeed. Dean noticed that and apparently other parts of his body did. He coughed loudly and entered the bathroom. Castiel followed up, dressed now in his pants and grey T-shirt that belonged to Dean.

At that very time, Sam was going up to reception to ask the number of his room.

„Hello."

„Well, good evening, fine mister." – the blonde said – „A room with a single bed, I hope?"

Sam smiled – „No actually, I'm here with my brother and our friend."

„Oh, you're with the couple. Cute, they are. Room 450."

„They're not.. Whatever, nice meeting you."

„Pleasure is all mine."

Sam rushed out to escape the crazy reception woman and headed to room 450. He entered and saw no trace of his brother or Castiel. Except for the bunch of clothes on the floor. And voices coming from the bathroom. Sam was not a stupid man. Could the reception woman be right? He put the food on the table and neared the bathroom door. He couldn't see anything, but could damn well hear.

„Look Cas, you can't do it that way. Here, put this on, it'll just glide up and down." – he heard his brother's voice

„But I can't , I've never done this before."

„First time for every-...DAMMIT CAS, you're spilling it all over, man, you look like a mess. Take that damned shirt off."

„Fine, no need to be mad."

„Great, now see, up and down, and out. See, not that hard."

„Indeed."

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sure, Cas and Dean were quite closer than Cas and himself, but this close. No way. Thousands of thoughts ran through his mind. He just took the food he bought for himself, his cellphone and went out the door.

Castiel washed his face and it was all new , smooth skinned him. Dean hit him on the back.

„There you go, my friend!"

„Ouch..."

„Oh, sorry about that."

„Yeah.."

Dean went out the room and saw all the food on the table.

„Sam must have been here." – he concluded – „ He'll be back soon enough. Hopefully he went to seduce the reception woman. Here you go Cas." – he threw a sandwich to him and took pie for himself. He sat by the table and opened Sam's laptop.

Cas took the sandwich and sat on the double bed.

A few moments later, Dean was cursing everything he could.

„Son of a bitch! I broke Sam's laptop, dammit! He's going to kill me, GOD!"

„Calm down Dean, it surely isn't something that can't be fixed.. Relax and eat your pie."

„Yeah , you're right."

Dean sat next to Cas and finished their pie. They were laughing and joking, remembering about that one time they went to get Cas laid and how he scared the poor woman. They talked for at least another hour and somehow they fell asleep. Cas fell asleep on Dean's shoulder. He was shirtless and apparently forgot to wear PJ pants so he was in his boxers.

For that past hour, Sam was outside. He went to a nearby bar and ordered himself a beer. He sat there and wondered. Now how will I react? What should I do? Should I tell them I heard them? Or maybe they need more time to tell me. Yes, I will give them time, eventually they're going to tell me, it's Dean, he can't hide things from me. He sat there for two hours, afraid to go back to the hotel. Eventually he was getting sleepy and he hoped he can have a night's rest. As he walked to the room, the lights were on. Great – he thought – now I'm going to have to face them.

He opened the door and he had a nice thing to see. Half naked Castiel sleeping on his brother. Great. Perfect! He ran to the bathroom , changed himself, turned off the lights and crawled back to his bed. He turned his back to them and somehow fell asleep.


	3. The misunderstanding

It was 6:30 when Sam woke up. He glanced at Dean's bed and found Cas and Dean in the same position they were when he went to bed. Sam decided to ignore it and not touch them. He got up, went to the bathroom, got dressed and left them a note that he'll be in a diner nearby called „Love's hut".

He was wearing his jeans and a grey cotton T-shirt. It was a hot day. Too hot. He tried to focus on the weather instead of what he witnessed the night before. They said it's going to rain tomorrow and a series of colder days will follow. Maybe today we shouldn't go investigating, too hot. – he thought - Or maybe we should.  
He had no idea what to do. If they don't go today, he will probably have to spend all day in Dean slash Castiel awkwardness. If they do go today, he'll probably melt. He wasn't sure that he could go today. Maybe just two of them should go. But then Dean will worry about me and that's no good, I told him I was fine. I guess we should spend today doing nothing. I don't even know.

All these thoughts pondered through his head just as he was walking out the door. The crazy blonde was standing few feet away, under a tree, smoking a cigarette. As she noticed him, she waved and approached him.

Sam went down the three wooden steps that led to his room, apparently forced to greet the blonde. Great.

„Hello there handsome. I think we haven't officially met, and since that cute brother of yours is taken, I thought I stood a chance with you."

Sam was quite taken aback by the attitude. This woman is literally throwing herself at his feet. You'd be crazy not to use this chance, Sam. That's what Dean would say probably. Actually he wasn't even sure if Dean would say that, it seems as if he doesn't know his brother at all. Dammit, pull yourself together! – he yelled at himself.

„Planet Earth calling. I know I'm hot, no need to stare at me like that."

And she was hot. Not cute, not adorable, but hot. She had a long, thin face, and she was quite tall. Almost as tall as Dean. Still, that was short for him, but if she was wearing heels, she would probably be taller than Dean. She had long platinum blonde wavy hair and almond shaped grey eyes that kind of stood out. She had a thin, longer nose and thin mouth. She had almost no make up on and she was wearing a knee lenght white summer dress with light pink flats. Just for a brief second she reminded him of Ruby's first vessel, but she was far from Ruby. Hopefully not another demon. Not what I need right now. – he thought

„Yeah." – Sam laughed – „ Yeah, sorry, got distracted. My name is Sam."

„Amber. Really nice to meet you, Sam. So what are you doing, being the third wheel on your brother's honeymoon?"

„No, no, just traveling the country."

„I love your taste of details. Well," – she said, ending her cigarette and throwing it to the ground – „I should be getting back to work, but I'd like to have a cup of coffee with you. Are you available tonight, I'm not working the night shift and your brother could use some private time. There are some great bars we could go."

I should seize the opportunity – Sam thought to himself – We won't do anything today and I can seem stressed about my date so we won't talk about what happened. And they could use some private time.

„Yeah, why not."

„Great. I'll be at the reception desk at 7 pm. Don't be late."

„I won't."

Amber punched him on the shoulder and walked away.

While walking to the diner, he thought about her. She can't be an evil thing. Still, it can't be anything more than an one night stand. Maybe he'll enjoy her company. He tried to think about Amber, how she looked and what to wear tonight, all petty distractions so he wouldn't have to think about...the thing. He doesn't worry this much about dates, he hasn't had one for a long time. And his head hurt too much on its own anyway. He sat in one of the booths in the diner, ordered himself a coffee and a salad and tried to distract himself with games on his phone.

Back in room 450, Dean just woke up to see Cas standing right above him , all dressed and ready to go. He jumped right out of his bed.

„Dammit Cas, what did I tell you about this angel crap?"

„Sorry Dean, I was just going to wake you up."

„Well, you did a great job. So where is the fire?"

„What fire, I haven't seen any firetrucks passing by, maybe you're still in post-dream effect."

Dean had no idea what this meant, and didn't even care. „Whatever. Where's Sam?"

„He left you a note, he'll be at this diner."

„Great, maybe he noticed the laptop is broken. So many times he said, Dean, don't touch the laptop and I broke it."

„I'm sure he'll understand."

Dean got ready and glanced at the clock. It was nearly 8 am.

Sam turned off his phone as he saw the lovebirds approaching the diner. No, not lovebirds, his brother and his friend!

„Good morning brother" – Dean said in an unusually warm tone

„Hello Sam. Now excuse me, I will be going to the bathroom, I seem to have forgotten to urinate."

„Whatever , you do your thing." – Dean answered and sat across from Sam

A moment of brief silence and awkwardness filled the air between the brothers. Sam worried if Dean knew that he knew about him and Cas. Dean worried if Sam noticed the laptop's broken.

„Look, Sam..."

„It's okay!" – Sam answered – „If you are worried have I noticed, I have taken notice and I am perfectly fine."

„Dude, you sure? I mean all that talk about you and what's important in your life, I am sorry."

„Yes, it's okay, nothing important."

„Just want you to know it was my fault, not Cas'. He's new at all this, and I wouldn't have let him touch it, I did it all."

„Okay fine, I don't care that Cas didn't...well...touch it, just, no details, please."

„Pff, fine with me!"

Castiel came just as the waitress was approaching and took their orders. He sat next to Dean.

„Well, I hope you have settled your arguments."

„Yes, Cas, all fine with me."

„See Dean, I told you that you shouldn't worry as much, it is not of much importance."

Dean just laughed through it and Sam still felt awkward. How could it be easy for him, his damn brother is homosexual. But it is his brother, and he will accept him as he is. Just in the future, he'll get a room of his own.

Sam decided to break the ice and mention his date with Amber tonight

„Well guys, I have a date tonight."

„You do? Dammit, I'm losing my touch. When did you find a girl so fast?" – Dean asked

„The reception girl. Her name is Amber, she came up to me as I was leaving the room this morning and asked me out. She's got the night off, so she'll show me around. It's too hot for the case today, so I'm going to get ready for my date and you two have the night to yourself."

„I'm sure we will miss your company for the night, but we'll find things to do." – Cas answered

„I...I am sure you will."

„Well man, good luck tonight!"

„No need to wait up, hopefully."

„Just, check her out, she's hot, but Anna was hot and Ruby was hot and look how that turned out to be."

„Yeah, silver, holy water, I will be equipped."

"And condoms, don't forget those!"

"I won't"

They ate through their breakfast, small talking, anything that could get the vision of last night out of Sam's mind. Dean was happy that Sam didn't get angry. Cas wasn't sure what to feel. All he knew was that the night spent on Dean's shoulder was the best sleep he ever had.


End file.
